Washing machine with means for pretreating clothes



Oct. 5, 1965 w. SHELTON 3,209,560

WASHING MACHINE WITH MEANS FOR PRETREATING CLOTHES Filed Dec. 23, 1965 INVENTOR. L. WINSTON L. SHELTON F'IG.\ WM/OW H \s ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,209,560 WASHING MACHINE WITH MEANS FOR PRETREATING CL'GTHES Winston L. Shelton, Jefiersontown, Ky., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 23, 1963, Ser. No. 332,817 6 Claims. (Cl. 68-4) This invention relates to automatic clothes washing machines and, more particularly, to an apparatus in such machines which provides for a pre-treatment of clothes having excessively soiled portions.

Automatic clothes washing machines customarily proceed through a sequence of operations in order to Wash, rinse, and centrifugally extract the liquid from clothes. The sequence ordinarily includes a washing operation, a first centrifugal liquid extraction operation in which the Wash water is removed from the clothes, a rinsing operation in which the clothes are rinsed in clean water, and a final centrifugal liquid extraction operation in which the rinse water is removed from the clothes. Such machines having this type of cycle, or a variation thereof, generally produce highly satisfactory washing results. Further, as opposed to the old fashion scrubbing action which was deliberately provided by the earliest washing machines and by manual washing methods, they cause little wear on the clothes. This is attributable, in part, to the relatively gentle washing action to which the clothes are subjected by circuation through them of water containing a cleaning agent. However, particular portions of clothing become substantially more soiled than others. For instance, the cuffs and collars or shirts are two such items, because continual rubbing against the skin produces soil deposits in the material which are exceedingly difficult to remove Without a vigorous scrubbing action. Because of this, in the case of highly soiled portions of clothing, it is quite customary to pro-treat the clothing having such highly soiled portions manually by actually scrubbing the soiled portions, either by rubbing against a scrubbing board or by rubbing two soiled portions against each other.

Some prior art washing machines have incorporated knobby rubber tops for the agitator to provide a scrubbing surface. This arrangement has two distinct disadvantages. First, the user must reach into the clothes basket of the washing machine in order to obtain washing liquid to treat the soiled areas. Second, in order to scrub clothes by using the knobby rubber top of the agitator when the machine is in operation the user must place her hand in close proximity to the moving agitator. Quite understandably the average housewife is reluctant to touch the agitator While it is moving.

Other prior art washing machines incorporate containers which are mounted on the top of the agitator and are provided with corrugations for pre-treating soiled clothing. These eliminate the problem of the user having to reach into thebasket in order to dampen the clothing; however, it is still necessary for the user to place her hand on a moving element in order to scrub the clothing.

This invention eliminates these problems by utilizing a structure which provides a supply of washing liquid for dampening the clothes and a stationary scrubbing surface for cleaning the clothes so that unusually soiled areas may be safely pre-treated while the washing machine is in operation.

It is therefore an object of this invention to incorporate, in a washing machine, an improved apparatus for providing a scrubbing pre-treatment of clothes having particularly soiled areas.

A further object of this invention is to provide such an apparatus including a supply of washing liquid and a stationary scrubbing area during machine operation.

3,209,560 Patented Oct. 5, 1965 Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize this invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

In carrying out this invention, in one embodiment thereof, there is provided a washing machine which has a conventional clothes-receiving basket basket with a removable clothes washing agitator extending upwardly through the basket and terminating thereabove. A receptacle is secured above the basket and is received around the upper end of the agitator for pre-treating particularly soiled portions of clothing. The receptacle is provided with an exposed surface which has been roughened, as by providing a number of corrugations in the surface. The machine is also provided with recirculating means which takes washing liquid from the basket and recirculates it into the receptacle so that, while clothes are being pre-treated by rubbing them against the corrugations of the receptacle, a supply of washing liquid is maintained in the receptacle.

For a better understanding of this invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a clothes washing machine in which one embodiment of this invention is incorporated, the view being partially broken away and partially in section to illustrate details;

FIGURE 2 is a partial plan view of the clothing pretreatment receptacle of FIGURE 1, partially broken away to illustrate details.

In FIGURE 1, there is shown an agitator-type clothes washing machine 1 having a conventional clothes receiving basket 2, provided over its side and bottom walls with perforations 3 and rotatably disposed within an imperforate tub or casing 4. The tub 4 serves as a liquid receptacle, the basket and tub together serving in effect as a container for clothes and the liquid in which they are to be washed and rinsed. Tub 4 is rigidly mounted within an appearance cabinet 5 which includes a cover 6 hingedly mounted on the top portion 7 of the cabinet for closing an opening 8 in the top portion 7. The opening 8 is in alignment with an opening 2a in the top of basket 2 so that clothes may be loaded in and removed from the basket.

At the center of the basket 2 there is positioned a rotatable vertical axis agitator 9 which includes a center post 10 and a plurality of curved water-circulating vanes 11 joined at their lower ends by an outwardly flared skirt 12. It can be readily seen that the top 13 of the agitator extends above the maximum water level which can be reached in tub 4 and basket 2, the water level being controlled in a conventional manner.

During a typical cycle of operation of the machine 1, water is introduced into the tub 4 and basket 2. The agitator 9 is then oscillated back and forth on its axis to effect washing of the clothes by causing relative motion of the clothes and liquid as well as a suitable flexing of the fabric of the clothes. Then, after a predetermined period of washing action, basket 2 is rotated at high speed to centrifugally extract the washing liquid from the clothes and discharge it to a drain. Following this extraction op eration clean water is introduced into the basket 2 for rinsing the clothes and the agitator is again oscillated. Finally, the basket is once more rotated at high speed to extract the rinse water.

Basket 2 and agitator 9 may be driven by any suitable means. By way of example they have been shown as driven by a reversible motor 14, shown in the lower portion of FIGURE 1, through a system including a clutch 15 mounted on the motor shaft. A suitable belt 16 transmits power from clutch 15 to a transmission assembly 17 through a pulley 18. Depending upon the direction of rotation of motor 14, pulley 18 drives transmission 17 in opposite directions. The transmission 17 is so arranged that it supports and drives both the agitator drive shaft and the basket mounting. When the motor 14 is rotated in one direction, the transmission causes the agitator 9 to oscillate in a substantially horizontal plane within basket 2. Conversely, when the motor 14 is driven in the opposite direction, the transmission rotates clothes basket 2 and agitator 9 together at high speed for centrifugal liquid extraction. It will be recognized that there are many well known mechanisms for effecting the type of motion described hereabove.

In addition to operating transmission 17 as described, motor 14 also provides a direct drive through a flexible coupling 20 to a pump structure generally indicated at 21, which may include two separate units 22 and 23 both operated simultaneously by mot-or 14. Pump unit 22 has an inlet which is connected by a conduit 24 to an opening 25 formed in the lowermost point of tub 4. Pump 22 also has an outlet which is connected by a conduit 26 to a suitable drain (not shown). Pump 23 has an inlet connected by a conduit 27 to the interior of tub 4, and an outlet connected by a conduit 28 to a nozzle 29. The pump units are formed so that, in the spin or centrifugal extraction direction of the motor rotation, pump 22 draws in liquid through the opening 25 and discharges it through conduit 26 to the drain; in the other or oscillation direction of rotation pump-23 draws in liquid through conduit 27 and discharges it through conduit 28 and nozzle 29. Each of the pumps is substantially inoperative in the direction of rotation in which it is not used.

Nozzle 29 is positioned to discharge a stream of liquid down into basket 2. During oscillation of the agitator for cleaning clothes in the basket 2, the stream of water discharged by nozzle 29 normally passes through a filter unit (not shown) which may, for instance, be removably mounted on the upper end 13 of center post 10 to oscillate with the agitator as described and claimed in Patent 2,481,979 issued on September 13, 1949, to Russell H. Colley, and assigned to General Electric Company, owner of the present invention.

A control panel 30, which may also be referred to as a backsplash has mounted thereon a manually operated member 31. Member 31 is used to control various functions of the machine.

In accordance with one embodiment of this invention, a clothes pre-treatment receptacle 32 is supported on the top portion 7 of the cabinet and extends downwardly through the opening 8 and the opening 2a; where, as described, a filter is normally mounted on the upper end 13 of agitator 9, it is removed to provide sufiicient room for the receptacle. The pre-treatrnent receptacle 32 is formed with a fiat bottom wall 33 and an annular side wall 34 having a horizontal flange 35. The flange rests on top portion 7 for supporting the receptacle. The annular side wall is provided with a first opening 36 in communication with nozzle 29 so that water pumped from the tub 4 and basket 2 by pump unit 23 is discharged into the receptacle 32. A second or over-flow opening 37 is provided in the wall 34 below the opening 36 but above the bottom wall 33 so that a supply of washing liquid is retained within the receptacle 32. The bottom wall 33 has an opening 38 which is normally closed by means of a closure member 39. The closure member 39 may be removed from the opening 38 after the desired pre-treatment of the clothes has been effected in order to drain all the liquid from the receptacle 32.

The center of the bottom wall 33 is formed with a hollow post 40 which extends upwardly to a level which is above opening 37. The post 40 fits around and is spaced from the agitator 9. The top of the post 40 is roughened in some manner, such as by providing corrugations 41 on its upper surface, so as to provide a scrubbing surface for cleaning particularly soiled portions of clothing.

When it is desired to pro-treat clothing the manually operated member 31 is set so that the basket 2 and tub 4 are filled with water and a detergent is added to form a suitable washing liquid. The pre-treatment receptacle 32 is then placed within the opening 8 and manually operated member 31 is set so that motor 14 is rotated in the oscillation direction. Pump unit 23 draws liquid out of the tub 4 and basket 2 through conduit 27 and discharges it through conduit 28 and nozzle 29 into the receptacle 32 without oscillation of the agitator 9. A supply of liquid builds up within the receptacle 32 until it reaches the level of opening 37 at which time the excess overfiows into the basket 2. The user then has a supply of constantly changing washing liquid for use in pro-treating clothes and is presented with a roughened scrubbing surface above the level of the liquid against which the clothes may be rubbed to effect cleaning thereof. It will be understood that, during the pre-treatment operation, clothes not to be pretreated may be placed within the basket 2 and washed in the normal manner.

After the pre-treatment operation has been completed, manually operated member 31 may be operated so as to de-energize motor 14 and stop the water pumping operation. The closure member 39 is then removed from the opening 38 and the residue of washing liquid is drained from the receptacle 32. The receptacle may then be removed from the washing machine and the usual filter substituted on the top 13 of the agitator 9. The manually operated member 31 is then set so that the machine will perform a normal washing, rinsing, and centrifuging operation, or alternatively, the machine may be caused to simply pump out the liquid by providing a centrifuging step.

While the pre-treatment receptacle has been shown as being mounted within the opening 8 and resting on the top portion 7 of the casing 5, it will be understood that the pro-treatment receptacle could be mounted in an open ing in the cover 6 or could even constitute all or a part of the cover 6.

While in accordance with the Patent Statutes, the preferred embodiment of this invention has been described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the invention and, therefore, it is intended in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A washing machine comprising:

(a) a clothes-receiving basket having a top opening,

(1) said basket including means for washing clothes contained therein,

(b) a stationary receptacle mounted above said top opening,

(1) said receptacle including a roughened portion serving as a scrubbing surface for soiled clothes, and

(c) recirculation means for conducting liquid from said basket into said receptacle,

(d) said receptacle being formed to retain a supply of liquid therein.

2. A washing machine comprising:

(a) an outer cabinet having a top opening,

(b) a clothes-receiving basket within said cabinet,

(c) a stationary receptacle mounted Within said top opening in said cabinet,

(1) said receptacle including a roughened portion serving as a scrubbing surface for soiled clothes, and

(d) recirculation means for conducting liquid from said basket into said receptacle,

(e) said receptacle being formed to retain a supply of liquid therein.

3. A washing machine comprising:

(a) an outer cabinet having a top opening,

(b) a clothes-receiving basket within said cabinet,

() a stationary receptacle mounted within said top opening in said cabinet,

(1) said receptacle including a roughened portion serving as a scrubbing surface for soiled clothes, and

(d) recirculation mean for conducting liquid from said basket into said receptacle,

(e) said receptacle having an overflow opening in one wall thereof spaced from the bottom thereof to retain a supply of liquid in said receptacle and provide flow through said overflow opening back into said basket.

4. A Washing machine as described in claim 3 wherein:

(a) said receptacle includes a bottom wall having an opening therein, and

(b) a closure member is provided for normally blocking said opening in said bottom wall,

(1) said closure member being removable from said opening in said bottom wall to drain liquid from said receptacle.

5. A washing machine including:

(a) an outer cabinet having a top opening,

(b) a clothes-receiving basket within said cabinet,

(c) a stationary receptacle mounted within said top opening in said cabinet,

(1) said receptacle including a bottom wall and a continuous side wall,

(d) recirculation means for conducting liquid from said basket to said receptacle,

(e) said side wall including a first opening in communication with said recirculation means for admitting liquid into said receptacle,

(f) said side wall further including a second opening spaced between said first opening and said bottom wall to retain a supply of liquid in said receptacle,

(g) said bottom wall including an opening therein,

(h) a closure member normally blocking said opening in said bottom wall,

(1) said closure member being removable irom said opening in said bottom wall to drain liquid from said receptacle, and

(i) said receptacle further including a post extending upwardly from the center of said bottom wall to a point above said second opening,

(1) the upper end of said post including a roughened portion serving as a scrubbing surface for soiled clothes.

6. A washing machine including:

(a) an outer cabinet including a top portion,

(1) said top portion having an opening therein,

(b) a clothes-receiving basket within said cabinet,

(0) a stationary receptacle supported on said top portion and extending downwardly through said opening,

(1) said receptacle including a bottom wall and continuous side wall,

(cl) recirculation means for conducting liquid from said basket to said receptacle,

(e) said side wall including a first opening in communication with said recirculation means for admitting liquid into said receptacle,

(f) said side wall further including a second opening spaced between said first opening and said bottom Wall to retain a supply of liquid in said receptacle,

(g) said bottom wall including an opening therein,

(h) a closure member normally blocking said opening in said bottom Wall,

(1) said closure member being removable from said opening in said bottom wall to drain liquid from said receptacle, and

(i) said receptacle further including a post extending upwardly from the center of said bottom wall to a point above said second opening,

(1) the upper end of said post including a roughened serving as a scrubbing surface for soiled clothes.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 181,075 8/76 Jackson 6814 222,846 12/79 Stevens 68-237 1,054,990 3/13 Schwoerer 68l81 1,474,041 11/23 Kaufle 6827 2,274,500 2/42 Osuch 68-13 X 2,298,096 10/42 Dunham 68l8 X IRVING BUNEVICH, Primary Examiner.

Patent No. 3, 209, 560 October S, 1965 Column 6, line 32, before "serving" insert portion Signed and sealed this 24th day of May 1966.

(SEAL) Arrest:

IRNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER testing Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. A WASHING MACHINE COMPRISING: (A) A CLOTHES-RECEIVING BASKET HAVING A TOP OPENING, (1) SAID BASKET INCLUDING MEANS FOR WASHING CLOTHES CONTAINED THEREIN, (B) A STATIONARY RECEPTACLE MOUNTED ABOVE SAID TOP OPENING, (1) SAID RECEPTACLE INCLUDING A ROUGHENED PORTION SERVING AS A SCRUBBING SURFACE FOR SOILED CLOTHES, AND (C) RECIRCULATION MEANS FOR CONDUCTING LIQUID FROM SAID BASKET INTO SAID RECEPTACLE, (D) SAID RECEPTACLE BEING FORMED TO RETAIN A SUPPLY OF LIQUID THEREIN. 